


crack, break, shatter

by orphan_account



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: F/M, this kinda turned into marnie/gloria oop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:48:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21897688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Opal's hand trembles as she pours the tea, but her gaze is calm and holds strong as she hands Gloria crumpets and her favorite treats.She tells the young champion that she is the fairy gym leader again.Gloria freezes, but her eyes widen. "Is Bede—has he gone missing? What about his pokémon—are they okay?"Opal sighs, and only continues sipping her tea, ignoring the helpless stare of the girl.
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Yuuri | Gloria
Comments: 7
Kudos: 74





	crack, break, shatter

When Gloria knocks on the cottage door, it is not Bede who greets her for their weekly afternoon tea.

It's Opal.

The fairy tamer does not acknowledge Bede's lack of presence, nor Gloria's inquires of his whereabouts, but only sits her down at the round frilly table, shushing all futile protests.

Opal's hand trembles as she pours the tea, but her gaze is calm and holds strong as she hands Gloria crumpets and her favorite treats.

She tells the young champion that she is the fairy gym leader again. 

Gloria freezes, but her eyes widen. "Is Bede _ — _ has he gone missing? What about his pokémon—are they okay?"

Opal sighs, and only continues sipping her tea, ignoring the helpless stare of the girl. Gloria fidgets with her biscuit, and doesn't notice Opal has left until suddenly, the gym leader returns and presses a stiff piece of paper in Gloria's hand.

  
  


It's a funeral invitation.

  
  
  


. . .

  
  
  


Had the demanding role as being champion not been cast to Gloria, she most likely would have burst into tears right on the spot, heartbroken and hot and angry, all alone. 

But now Opal is watching her, studying her as if in a battle of containing emotions, and Gloria knows that it doesn't matter if it's one person watching or a thousand through the big screen. She cannot crack. Not here, not now, not  _ ever.  _

So instead, she gently tucks the card with the rest of her trainer cards, wordlessly and without shedding a single tear, and thanks Ms. Opal for the tea. 

Opal meets her eyes, and for a brief moment, the pair can feel a mutual understanding, the responsibility, lying on both of their shoulders.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


( _ They cannot break. Not in front of national tv, in front of friends, not even in front of each other, merely two yards apart. They are leaders, and can only act as such.)  _

  
  
  


. . .

  
  
  


The funeral, ironically enough, goes perfect —at least enough for the press. Marnie and Hop and Opal are there, and those are all the only faces Gloria needs to see for that boost of strength. 

(She can do it. She can ignore the cameras and the rumors of Bede's death being a publicity and ignore the tears pricking at her eyes as long as Marnie is gripping her hand or Hop is eyeing her gratefully, as if he, too, is absorbing energy from her very presence.) 

Bede looks peaceful, almost content.  _ It doesn't suit him,  _ Gloria finds herself thinking.  _ Not with the way he died. _

  
  
  


. . . 

  
  
  


Gloria cracks at home alone, in the comfort of her room. Sometimes she suffers in silence, but sometimes Hop is there to pick up her fallen, broken pieces and remind her of all the good times Bede had with them — _ remember the time the four of us all tried making curry together and only Bede ate it? When he got sick right afterwards and refused to admit it? _

  
  


Sometimes Hop reminds her of the times of just the two of them, Bede and Gloria— _ remember all the times I had to set you guys up and the only thing I could convince him to do was to confess while you guys were at a raid?  _

Gloria snickers, short and bitter.  _ Yeah. _

_ I don't go to raids much anymore.  _

  
  
  


. . .

  
  
  


Marnie is always pleased to see Gloria, but it's getting harder and harder to cheer the girl up.

She's no Hop—her very presence isn't built up on years of comfort and familiarity to Gloria—but Marnie likes to think she's a little more direct in manner, and well, a bit more of a realist.

So when words aren't enough, she clasps Gloria's hand and lets the girl confide in her, whenever she's ready.

Today, as Gloria cooks curry and Marnie sets up camp, she notices a raid den. 

"Gloria? Wanna join a raid battle later?" 

Gloria stops stirring. "No. No, not today." 

Marnie frowns slightly, but comfortably settles herself next to Gloria, now sulking. "That's fine, of course."

"No—no, it's not like I don't like raids, I used to do them with Bede all the time—" Gloria stiffens when she realizes she said his name.

"Did...did you guys fight?"

"No! No, I—" Gloria crouches with her knees against her chest, and her voice mumbles down into a whisper. "Do—do you know how Bede…?" The word  _ died _ comes out unspoken.

Marnie shakes her head, but soon, Gloria's entire body is shaking. 

"The—the one time I didn't join him, and went on his own…he got hit with an attack. The other trainer told me. To protect him." Marnie can feel the champion shattering into pieces internally, letting bottled feelings of guilt and blame flow freely. She grabs Gloria's hands, ignoring the tears on them. 

"It's not your fault, Gloria—"

"I  _ know! _ But it's not just that—everyone's taking it the wrong way. The public wants to close down raids now, the press thinks it's fun to interview my every reaction, but  _ I can't, I can't cry in front of them, in front of you, in of everybody, anybody."  _

Gloria heaves a long, pained sigh, but doesn't let go of Marnie's hand. The gym leader only squeezes the champion's hand. 

"I can't pretend to solve all your problems, Gloria," she murmurs, and Gloria exhales hoarsely.

"But that's alright. You can stay here with me. It's fine to cry." 

Gloria stays huddled next to Marnie and basks in the comfort she provides for her, long after the sun goes down and her tears dry on her cheek.

**Author's Note:**

> bede as ghost, watching his funeral: what are these extras doing here
> 
> i did it to gloria, now it's bede's turn
> 
> this was kinda a drabble that went too far, so far that i can't even tell the pairing for this anymore ahahah
> 
> edit: if this gets enough interest ive been thinking about doing a songfic based on "wish you were gay", probably featuring hop and another couple (please give me suggestions, im stuck)


End file.
